Olga Ametistova studied history and art history studies in Russia and Germany, then law at the University of Trier with a grant of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation. After passing the First and Second legal state examination, she practiced in corporate and commercial law in Berlin in major German and international law firms, advising Eastern European and Russian clients in their economic expansion on the German market. Since 2008, Ms. Ametistova advises as a expert for the EU and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Russia and Central Asia. Since 2012, she has led for several years the GIZ Rule of Law programme in Tajikistan. Her fields of expertise are civil and civil process law, lawyer’s professional law, administrative law and administrative process as well as method of judicial decision-making. Since 2011 she has been teaching Russian constitutional law at the Free University of Berlin. She was co-author of a textbook about the Kazakh administrative law.

For the Rule of Law Platform - Central Asia, Ms. Ametistova prepared a report evaluating the quality of court decisions in Central Asia, which includes methodological recommendations for the Supreme Courts and for official generalization of judicial practices.

MIKHAIL ANTONOV

Russian Federation

Mikhail Antonov studied law and graduated from the Saint-Petersburg State University in 2000. In 2005 he obtained a Master’s Degree in social sciences from Paris-V-René Descartes University (France). In 2006, he received a PhD in law from Saint-Petersburg State University, and since then has been teaching legal theory and comparative law. He is currently an associate professor of law at the Law Faculty of the Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg (Russia). From 2000 to 2003 Dr Antonov worked at the Russian General Attorney’s Office; from 2006 to 2011, he was a senior counsel at an international consulting firm. Since 2011, in addition to his academic career, Dr Antonov practices as an advocate at the Saint-Petersburg Bar Association, specializing in commercial law and procedure, tax and labour law. In 2013 Dr Antonov was awarded with an Aurora Fellowship at Law Faculty of the University of Tartu (Estonia) where he was active until May 2016. He was also a G.F. Kennan fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (Washington, D.C.) and a visiting professor at the Institut d’Études Politiques of Aix-en-Provence (France).

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Dr Antonov prepared an analysis entitled “Curriculum for legal education and professional legal training in the Central Asia” in Spring 2016, and contributed as speaker to the regional conference on “Networks of legal and judicial training institutions of Central Asia” in Bishkek (22-23 June 2016).

JENS DEPPE

Germany

Dr. Jens Johannes Deppe studied law at the Universities of Mainz and Bonn and in 2000, received a Ph.D. from the Research Department for Eastern (Post-Soviet) Law of the University of Hamburg (dissertation on Press Freedom and Statutory Prohibition of Censorship in the Russian Federation). His fields of expertise include civil and commercial law, civil and administrative procedures and judicial reforms, especially anti-corruption, access to justice and legal aid. Dr. Deppe joined the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ GmbH) in 2000 as a Legal Assistant to Prof. Rolf Knieper, Bremen University, for private law reform in CIS countries, then became a Project Manager, head of the regional program “Supporting Legal Reform and the Judiciary in the Countries of Central Asia” from 2007-2009, and since then served as Planning Officer and Consultant for Legal Reforms and Justice Sector Reform, Department of Good Governance and Human Rights. Currently he is heading a legal reform project in Tbilisi, Georgia.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Dr. Deppe has been the co-author of a regional study on General Administrative Law in central Asia. He also prepared a study on Determining quality indicators and benchmarking the rule of law reform in the Central Asian States.

HERVE FABRE-AUBRESPY

France

Mr. Hervé Fabre-Aubrespy studied at France’s Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale d’Administration. He joined the State Council of France (Conseil d’Etat) in 1983 and became State Counsellor in 2004. Throughout his career, he held several management positions at French State institutions, including Ecole Nationale d’Administration, a hospital and a State pension fund. Mr. Fabre-Aubrespy held several judicial positions at the State Council as well as political positions as member of the private cabinets of several Ministers, including the French Prime Minister (2008-2012). As a specialist of election law and case-law, he prepared the last election draft law of France. Mr. Fabre-Aubrespy has been a Member of the European Parliament and has held several elective positions at local level, in France.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Fabre-Aubrespy has participated as expert to the training workshops on law-drafting techniques in Bishkek (23-24.05.2013) and Dushanbe (02-03.07.2014), to the training workshop on the stages of the legislative process: theory, practice and international experience in Astana (01.10.2013) and to the seminar on the development of the Turkmen civil society in Ashgabat (26.04.2016).

YVES GOUNIN

France

Mr. Yves Gounin graduated from the Institute of Political Studies of Paris and the ESSEC Graduate School of Business Administration (Cergy, France). After completing his studies at the Ecole Nationale d’Administration, he joined the French State Council (Conseil d’Etat) and later became Second Counselor at the French Embassy in Nairobi. From 2006 to 2009 he served as Legal Advisor to the President of the Republic of Senegal and from 2010 to 2012 as Deputy Principal Advisor to the French Minister of European Affairs. On 2013, he became Head of the International Department of the State Council and in this quality, he contributed to raise awareness about French Public Law, the continental civilian legal system, as well as European Public Law.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Gounin contributed as speaker to two seminars on local governance and decentralisation in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, on March 20, 2014, and in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on December 17. 2015. As Head of the International Department of the State Council of France, Mr. Gounin also acts as liaison between this institution and the Rule of Law Platform.

WILFRIED HOLZ

Germany

Dr. Wilfried Holz graduated from the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg i.Br., Germany (First State Examination in law), and the University of Cambridge (Queen’s College), Great Britain (LL.M.). Dr. Holz received his Ph.D. (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Freiburg in 2006. From 2006-2008 he worked as a Research Assistant at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, Germany. After passing the Second State Examination in law in 2008 (Heidelberg) he was appointed as judge at the Administrative Court of Karlsruhe, Germany. From 2010 to 2013 he served as Legal Advisor to the President of the German Federal Constitutional Court, from 2012-2013 as Personal Legal Advisor to the President and Vice Press Speaker of the Federal Constitutional Court. In 2014 he returned to the Administrative Court of Karlsruhe.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Dr. Holz contributed as speaker to a seminar on local governance in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, on March 20, 2014.

ETIENNE LESAGE

France

Mr. Etienne Lesage is a defense lawyer, member of the Paris Bar. He holds a law degree (DEA in Corporate Law) from Paris University-I and became a lawyer (Certificat d’Aptitude à la Profession d’Avocat) in 1988. He is specialised in criminal, civil and labor law. Mr. Lesage advises and defends individuals, including vulnerable segments of the population (employees, children). A family law, juvenile law and children delinquency expert, his practice includes abduction of children, divorces and payment of alimony to spouse and children. A member of the board of the Paris Bar until December 2015, he held the position of the rule of law Committee of the Paris Bar.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Lesage coordinated the launching week of the pilot phase of "Initiation to law for pupils of Kyrgyz schools" in Bishkek (26-31 October 2015), an initiative targeting juveniles and aiming at developing the legal awareness of civil society, modeled after a programme launched by the Paris Bar. On 27 October 2015, Mr. Lesage signed, on behalf of the President of the Paris Bar, a Partnership Agreement between the Paris and the Kyrgyz Bars.

VASILY LUKASHEVICH

Russian Federation

Vasily Lukashevich is a case-processing lawyer at the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. He graduated from Altay State University (Barnaul, Russia) in 2005 and obtained his magna cum laude LLM in Comparative Constitutional Law and European Union Law from Central European University (Budapest, Hungary) in 2006. During the last ten years Mr Lukashevich had frequent research visits to leading universities around the world, including Université Paris-1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, University of Utrecht, University of Toronto. He regularly gives lectures and presentations and conducts trainings on the issues related to comparative institutional design, various aspects of human rights protection, European and international legal standards.

Mr. Lukashevich delivered a presentation on July 18, 2013 for a delegation of Central Asian lawyers at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, during their study visit to administrative courts and institutions in Latvia, Germany and France and to European Institutions in Strasbourg. He also contributed to the round table on the fair trial and defence rights organised by the Rule of Law Platform for the Collegium of Advocates of the City of Almaty on October 7, 2013, and to the national workshop on support to the justice reform of Tajikistan, in Dushanbe on March 5, 2014.

TODOR LUKOV

Bulgaria

Mr. Todor Lukov holds a Master’s degree in Law from the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski (Bulgaria) and for 10 years has been practicing as judgement enforcement officer in Bulgaria. A self-defined “hands on approach” professional, Mr Lukov belongs to the generation bridging both worlds of civil law: the Soviet Era centralized administrative order and of Bulgaria as a free market economy and EU member. Mr Lukov’s early exposure to Western professional practices gave enabled him to keep the faith in the rule of law while political walls collapsed and decades of social and economic establishments took the long road of historical transition and reform. Mr. Lukov began his career in an US business consulting franchise – Arthur Andersen Ltd. in Sofia, then served as regional court judge and later held a managerial position in an US trading company. His multi-faceted legal and business career provided him with the much needed professional insight for the newly established profession of a private enforcement officer in Bulgaria. Since 2006 he has been sharing the Bulgarian experience in the enforcement of legal titles at multiple national and international professional forums and events. He currently holds the position of Vice Chairman of the Professional Ethics Committee of the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents of Bulgaria.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr Lukov contributed as speaker to a Seminar on “Professional ethics and procedural fairness - International standards and national developments in the field of enforcement”, on 12 April 2016, in Almaty (Kazakhstan).

GERARD MARTY

France

Mr. Gérard Marty graduated from University Paul Sabatié of Toulouse in 1972 and thereafter passed the prefectural administrative concourse and joined the French Prefecture Administrative Body. He served as Chief of Staff of Mr. Maurice Faure, State Minister and Minister of Public Works and Housing from 1988-1989. For 16 years, Mr. Marty held various positions in prefectures in France with the title of sub-Prefect. During the last 15 years, Mr. Marty has been the General Director of the Administrative Services of the Gironde Département, a district of 1,5 million inhabitants of which Bordeaux is the main city. He heads a staff of 6.500 and manages a budget of 1.500 million Euros.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Marty contributed as speaker to a seminar on local governance in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, on March 20, 2014.

DIDIER MAUS

France

Didier Maus studied law, political sciences and economy in Paris Institute after which he became a student of the École nationale d’administration. He then pursued a dual career in academia and civil service. From 1986-1988, he served as Chief of Staff of the Minister in charge of relationships with Parliament, from 1993–2001, as Director of the International Institute of Public Administration, and from 2001-2012 as State Counselor (Conseiller d’État).

From 1988-2006, Mr. Maus became Associate Professor of French and Comparative Constitutional Law at Paris University I, and from 2010 – 2012, Law Professor at Aix-Marseille III Paul Cézanne University. Along with Louis Favoreu, he founded in 1990 the Revue française de droit constitutionnel. Pr. Maus is Emeritus President of the Association française de droit constitutionnel (since December 2006), Emeritus President of the International Association of Constitutional Law (since December 2010), and from 2002-2012 served as General Reporter of the Commission of Constitutional Archives of the Fifth Republic. He has published numerous studies and articles on French and Comparative European Constitutional Law, and well as about the globalisation of Constitutional Law. He became member of the Constitutional Сourt of Bosnia-Herzegovina, then of the Constitutional Tribunal of Andorra of which he became President.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Pr. Maus delivered a presentation on July 19, 2013 for a delegation of Central Asian lawyers in Strasbourg, during their study visit to administrative courts and institutions in Latvia, Germany and France. He also contributed to the ”International Conference on the Role and place of national human rights protection system in condition of the country’s modernization process: international practice and the experience of Uzbekistan” in Tashkent (24-25 October 2013) and delivered a legal opinion on draft constitutional legislation modifying the disciplinary status of the judges of the Kyrgyz Republic.

SAULE MEKTEPBAYEVA

Kazakhstan

Ms. Saule Mektepbayeva graduated in International Law from the Law Faculty of the Eurasian National University Gumilev. She received a Master degree in 2008 from the University of Kunayev and then received training on human rights at Lund University (Sweden) and the Canadian Human Rights Foundation. Ms. Mektepbayeva has experience working both in international organizations and for the Government of Kazakhstan: as project coordinator at NGO Zharia (2001-2003) and at the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2007 she was appointed as “Legal reform” Programme Director at the Soros Foundation – Kazakhstan and worked on UNDP projects. Since 2009, she has held the position of regional director at Penal Reform International in Central Asia and has served as member of the Expert Council of the Commissioner for Human Rights and the working group on prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. She is author of several articles on human rights in Kazakhstan.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Ms. Mektepbayeva has participated as speaker at the National workshop on support to the justice reform of Kazakhstan (Astana, 27 June 2014).

BERNARD MENUT

France

Mr. Bernard Menut hold two Masters in law and economy from Limoges University (France). He has practiced law as enforcement officer for over 33 years. During two years he has led the French professional organization of enforcement agents of 3300 members (CNHJ). Mr. Menut is the former president and current first vice-president of the International Union of Enforcement Agents (UIHJ) which federates the national professional organisation of enforcement agents of 73 countries. Mr. Menut is honorary vice-president of the most advanced training center for enforcement agents internationally (“Ecole de procedure de Paris – ENP”). He lectures in several universities and as vocational trainer, developing new training methods for adults. He conducts legal scientific research and is the prolific author of numerous articles in law journals, and books, including “Fees regulation for enforcement agents” and “Maintenance debt recovery”.

In addition, Mr. Menut has considerable expertise advising Governments and international institutions in enforcement law, rule of law, judicial reform, legal drafting, and in project management.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Menut has taught as lead expert at the training workshop for development of the professional skills of enforcement agents in Astana, Kazakhstan (20-24 January 2014).

PASCALE MESNIL

France

Mrs. Pascale Mesnil holds graduate degrees in Business and Economy Law (DEA) and in Maritime and Transportation Law (DESS) from Aix-Marseille Law University and the Institute of Business Law. Mrs. Mesnil first practiced as an attorney, then became General Secretary of leading shipping companies. She then became judge and then elected President of Chamber of the Paris Commercial Court, specialising in contractual litigation, interlocutory proceedings, labor disputes and then as general delegate supervising the corporate registry under the Paris Commercial Court. Mrs. Mesnil is currently Honorary President of Chamber of the Paris Commercial Court and legal counsel specialising in Business Law and European Law. She is also Special Advisor to the European Union of Women, Member of the Board of Directors of the French Association of Maritime Law (AFDM), Deputy General Secretary of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) and Council Member of the Bury-Rosaire Schools Association (2500 students). She provides legal expertise in Russia, China, Bulgaria, Serbia and Tunisia.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform for Central Asia, Mrs. Mesnil has contributed as speaker in the National workshop on support to the justice reform of Tajikistan (Dushanbe 5 March 2014) where she also represented the European Union of Women in negotiations with the League of Women-Lawyers of the Republic of Tajikistan aiming at the signing of a partnership agreement between the two institutions.

ELISABETH MORIN-CHARTIER

France

Mrs. Elisabeth Morin-Chartier started her carreer as professor of history and geography in a lycée in Poitiers (France). She then held various pedagogical management and school inspection positions under the French Ministry of Education until she became General Inspector of management of National Education and Sciences for South-East France (2001-2010). A Member of the European Parliament since 2007, Mrs. Morin-Chartier holds the functions of Quaestor and participated to inter-parliamentary groups and associations in matters such as “fight against cancer and the Alzheimer desease”, “women’s rights and gender equality”, “employment and social questions”. From 2010-2012, she was a Member of the Observatory of gender equality of France, and In March 2013, she became the President of the European Union of Women.

Mr. Ilyas Nurmaganbetov received a bachelor degree in “International law” and master degree in “Jurisprudence” in 2009 and 2011 from Karaganda State University. After joining the International law firm “Rosenblatt and Co” in Almaty as junior lawyer, Mr. Nurmaganbetov became a project coordinator at “Penal Reform International”, a defense rights NGO in Astana. He has coordinated the following projects: “Strengthening the criminal justice system of Kazakhstan through the establishment of a criminal legislative system respecting human rights“, “Establishing NPM in Kazakhstan: putting policy into practice“, “Criminal justice and prison reform initiative: re-integration of ex-prisoners through employment and probation service“. This focused on introducing probation, electronic bracelets and reducing the prison population. His field of expertise also includes mediation and conciliation. He has contributed to the drafting of related legislation.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Nurmaganbetov contributed as speaker to the meeting of the working group on Judicial Capacity in Brussels, on 24 April 2014.

KAIRAT OSMONALIEV

Kyrgyz Republic

Pr. Kairat Osmonaliev graduated from Omsk Higher Police School under the MIA of the Russian Federation in 1994, then received a Master degree and in 2005 a PhD from the Russian MIA Academy (Moscow). In 2004, he was invited as a researcher to the Center for Silk Road Studies of the University of Uppsala (Sweden) and served as an international consultant to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in 2005 and 2010 and for the EU. Pr. Osmonaliev is experienced in international relations, as Head of the Department of analysis, forecast and international cooperation of the State Commission under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic on drug control (2001-2003), and was awarded the Diploma of the European Commission on Narcotics in June 2002. Pr. Osmonaliev carried out research and teaching activities at Kyrgyz MIA Academy and currently at the Kyrgyz National University named after Balasagyn. He has published more than 60 scientific articles on problems of narcotics, organized crime and corruption.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Pr. Osmonaliev contributed as speaker at the regional seminar on the right to a fair trial (Bishkek, April 4-5, 2013), at the national workshop on improving the efficiency of justice in the Kyrgyz Republic (Bishkek, 9 December 2013), and wrote a research study on the "Criminal procedural law of the Kyrgyz Republic. The modernization issues of the acting model of criminal justice”. He was a member of the jury for the “Regional Legal Competition – 2014” organized by the Rule of Law Platform.

JURAJ PODKONICKÝ

Czech Republic

Mr. Juraj Podkonický graduated from the Law Faculty of University Komensky in Bratislava (Slovakia) and for 15 years has been practicing as a Judicial Officer in the Czech Republic. After completing his studies started to work as advocate in Bratislava (Slovakia) and Prague (Czech Republic). Between 1994 – 2001 he was elected as an Executive Director of Council for Advertising, Vice-President of EASA (European Advertising Standards Alliance, Brussels) and Vice-Chairman of Czech Telesion Council (1996-1998). From 2001 to 2009, he served as First President of the Judicial Officers Chamber of the Czech Republic. In 2009, he was elected as Secretary of the UIHJ – Eurodanube and since 2012, he has been Member and Treasurer of UIHJ (International Union of Judicial Officers).

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Podkonický contributed as speaker to a seminar on “Professional ethics and procedural fairness - International standards and national developments in the field of enforcement”, on 12 April 2016, in Almaty (Kazakhstan).

JÖRG PUDELKA

Germany

Mr. Jörg Pudelka studied at Schiller University Law Faculty and passed the two State German Law examinations in Jena and Frankfurt am Oder. He then pursued Slavic and Russian Legal Studies in Bielorussia and at Humboldt University in Berlin. He started his career as a lecturer at Schiller University, then as a lecturer on European Law at Moscow State University. Mr. Püdelka served as a judge at the Administrative Court of Berlin, then as a judge at the Social Court of Berlin. He worked as expert on constitutional law matters in an EU-funded project in the Russian Federation, then as project manager in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in the GIZ Program “Support for Legal and Judicial Reform in Central Asia”. Mr. Pudelka is currently director of the GIZ Regional Programme “Support to the Rule of Law in Central Asia” which covers Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. He is a member of the German Association of Judges of Administrative Courts.

Mr. Pudelka has participated to the following activities of the Rule of Law Platform as expert : Training session on Administrative Procedure in Kazakhstan (Astana, 03.07.2012), Third Ministerial Conference (Brussels, 6-7.12.2012), Training workshop on administrative law (Tajikistan, 13-14.08.2013) and Seminar on drafting the administrative process code of the Kyrgyz Republic (Bishkek, 18-19.10.2013). He is co-author of the Background study on administrative law and administrative proceedings. He participated to other activities co-organised by the Platform and GIZ in the quality of GIZ Programme director, including : Regional seminar on administrative justice (Astana, 2-3.11.2012), Study visit to administrative courts and institutions in Latvia, Germany and France and to European Institutions in Strasbourg (13-20.07.2013), Research visit on administrative law to German academic institutions (22.07.-10.08.2013).

GERHARD REISSNER

Austria

Dr. Gerhard Reissner studied law and sociology and graduated from the University of Vienna in 1977. From 1979 to 1982 he became scientific assistant at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Munich. His professional career started in 1982 as he was appointed as a judge of the district court of Hainburg. In 1994, he became President of District Court of Floridsdorf. In 1994, Mr. Reissner was elected Vice President Association of Austrian judges, and in 2000 he became a member of the Consultative Council of European Judges of the Council of Europe (CCJE). In 2008 he was elected Vice-President of the International Association of Judges, and from 2009 to 2012 held the position of President of the European Association of Judges, and Vice-President of the Consultative Council of European Judges. Since 2012 he has been President of the International Association of Judges and President of the Consultative Council of European Judges. Dr. Reissner is member of several commissions in Austria (Juristenkommission etc.), expert for the IAJ, the Council of Europe, the European Commission. As expert, he has worked in Albania, Egypt, Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, etc.

Dr. Reissner has contributed as expert and speaker to the Third Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the European Union and Central Asia (December 2012), the national workshop for the Kyrgyz Republic on improving the efficiency of justice (Bishkek, December 2013) and the national workshop on support to the justice reform of Tajikistan (Dushanbe, March 2014), in the framework of the EU Rule of Law Initiative for Central Asia.

INGO RISCH

Germany

Dr. Ingo Risch is currently the Team Leader of the EU-funded project “Support to Criminal and Judicial reforms in Uzbekistan”. In 1972, he graduated from the Ruhr-University (Bochum, Germany), after what he passed the First and Second State Law Examinations. From 1982 to 1985, Dr. Risch studied at the Johannes Kepler University (Linz, Austria), after which he obtained a Master of International Law. Since 2000, Dr. Risch has occupied various positions in projects of technical assistance funded by international donors. In particular, he has worked as Team Leader in EU-funded projects in Kosovo, Indonesia, Iraq, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian States. Mr. Risch has over 35 years of judicial practice, having held several positions under the Ministry of Justice of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dusseldorf. He also has served as a public prosecutor and an attorney.

Dr. Risch participated as speaker in the National Workshop on support to the Justice Reform of Tajikistan organised by the Rule of Law Platform in Dushanbe on March 5, 2014.

STEFAN SCHLOTTER

Germany

Following his studies in law and classics, Mr. Schlotter was admitted to the Frankfurt am Main Chamber of Lawyers in 2006 and started his professional career at an international law firm. He advised, across a range of industries including regulated industries, on corporate and financial transactions as well as on compliance and regulatory issues. He has also an extensive knowledge on merger control and general competition law. As of june 2009, he became judge in the appeal section of the Higher Regional Court (Landgericht) of Limburg a.d.Lahn; in 2011 he was appointed as public prosecutor in Frankfurt am Main. Since 2014, he has been seconded as legal counsel to the Federal Ministry of Justice. As deputy head of the division for fundamental rights, he is involved in the legislation process and advises mainly on the constitutional framework for law projects and other state and government actions.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Initiative, Mr. Schlotter has contributed as speaker to a seminar on local self-government in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on 17 December 2015.

JANA SCHUHMANN

Germany

Ms. Jana Schuhmann studied law at the University of Tübingen and passed her second state law examination at the German Regional Court Ulm in 2003. Ms. Schuhmann is currently working in the sector project on “Anti-Corruption and Integrity” of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). She consults the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on anti-corruption issues. This comprises as well the topic of judicial integrity. From 2007 till 2011 Ms. Schuhmann headed the Kyrgyz component in the regional GIZ- program “Supporting Legal and Judicial Reform in Central Asia”. This project focused on capacity development measures for the judiciary. From 2004 till 2006 she worked as a lecturer of law at two universities in Tbilisi /Georgia. During that time she taught as well at the Training Centre of Justice of Georgia.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Ms. Schuhmann contributed as speaker to the meeting of the working group on Judicial Capacity in Brussels, on 24 April 2014.

CHRISTOPHE SPECKBACHER

Germany

After graduating at the Montpellier University (France) where he obtained advanced degrees in European and international law and in Politics, and working there for some time as a teaching fellow, Mr. Christophe Speckbacher joined the Council of Europe in 1996.

As from 1999, Mr. Speckbacher has been working with inter-governmental Council of Europe activities dealing with crime issues, especially the monitoring of anti-corruption and anti-money laundering policies (the mechanisms called GRECO and MONEVAL). He was also involved in technical cooperation activities, and in the work of inter-governmental committees responsible for the elaboration of treaties and other texts on anti-crime policies. Mr. Speckbacher currently holds the position of Head of Section in the Secretariat of the

Group of States against Corruption – GRECO, at the Council of Europe.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Speckbacher has contributed as speaker to the meeting of the regional working roup on Judicial Capacity (Brussels, 24 April 2014).

NATALIA SPITZ

Germany

Ms. Natalia Spitz was born in Moscow and graduated from the Law Faculty of Moscow State University. Ms. Spitz worked as a Justiciar in a private law firm in Moscow, specialising in economic law. In 1996, Ms. Spitz obtained a Master of Law from the University of Hamburg. She then studied at the University of Kiel (Germany), and passed the first state law exam in 2001. After training for legal clerkship at the Land Court in Kiel, the Supreme Administrative Court of Schleswig-Holstein and the Prosecutor General of the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig–Holstein, Ms Spitz passed the second state law exam. In 2004, Ms. Spitz became a prosecutor in the Prosecutor´s Office of Kiel, investigating both general affairs and juvenile cases. Also, Ms. Spitz has been in charge of the investigation of serious crimes against life and health. For two years, Ms. Spitz has worked in International Legal Assistance on criminal cases at the Federal Department of Justice, handling matters for the Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Germany.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Ms. Spitz participated as a speaker at the training workshop on particularities of criminal justice (Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 10-11 September 2013), at the national workshop on improving the efficiency of justice in the Kyrgyz Republic (Bishkek, 9 December 2013) and at the meeting of the working group on Judicial Capacity (Brussels, 24 April 2014).

GEORG STAWA

Austria

Georg Stawa, holds a Magister iuris from the University of Vienna. A former Judge for the Area of the Court of Appeal of Vienna (1st and 2nd instance), Mr. Stawa has participated in international research projects on justice reform in South and Eastern Europe. He is an expert in monitoring, statistics and management of information systems, and has a vast experience in controlling, statistics and court performance. Also, his field of expertise covers the design and introduction of monitoring and evaluation systems for policy reform in the justice sector. He is a specialist in drafting, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of Justice Sector Reform Strategies and Action Plans. Mr. Stawa is long term member of the CEPEJ Evaluation working-group and for the time being Vice-President of CEPEJ (Commission for the Efficiency of Justice of the Council of Europe). Since 2010, he has held the position of Head of Department for Projects, Strategy and Innovation in the Austrian Ministry of Justice.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Stawa contributed as speaker to the meeting of the working group on Judicial Capacity in Brussels, on 24 April 2014.

PIERRE-OLIVIER SÛR

France

Mr. Sûr holds a Law degree from Paris University I and graduated from the Institute of Political Sciences of Paris. A French practicing lawyer, he has extensive experience in financial and political criminal law matters, with a particular emphasis on white collar crimes, and in domestic and international proceedings. Mr. Sûr has advised individuals and comporations in high-profile cases in France. He has campaigned against pre-trial detention without access to legal counsel. Mr. Sûr held the position of President of the Paris Bar (Bâtonnier) from January 2014 until December 2015. He is Member of jury at EFB (French Bar School) and at CAPA (French Bar School’s final examination).

As expert for the Rule of Law Platform, Mr. Sûr has contributed as speaker at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Astana (14-15 October 2014) where he signed the Cooperation Agreement between between the Paris Bar and the Bar of the City of Almaty. Mr. Sûr has actively supported the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the Paris Bar and the Bar of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the launching of the "Initiation to law for pupils of Kyrgyz school" (November 2015).

WIM TIMMERMANS

The Netherlands

Dr. Timmermans studied Dutch law and Slavic languages at Leiden University, and received a Ph.D. in 1990. Since 1984, he has taught East European Law at Leiden University. As a law practitioner, Dr. Timmermans has advised corporations on international business law, including contract law, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and Public Private Partnerships, with special focus on Eastern Europe (including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and other CIS countries). Also, Dr. Timmermans specializes in transport law, including maritime law and in international commercial arbitration. He is on several lists of arbitrators including the London Court of International Arbitration and a member of the Business Advisory Board to the UN ECE Centre of Excellence on PPPs in Geneva. Apart from providing legal advice, Dr. Timmermans extends assistance to legal reform and privatization in transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform’s Advice Facility, Dr. Timmermans has prepared a study on the “Independence of the Judiciary in the Central Asian States (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)”.

MICHEL VERPEAUX

France

Pr. Michel Verpeaux is a leading specialist of Constitutional Law in France. In 1988, he became a tenured Professor of Public Law (Professeur Agrégé de droit public) and since then, has taught law at the Universities of Besançon, Dijon, then Paris II and presently at University Paris-Sorbonne, of which he is Director of the Research Center in Constitutional Law, as well as at the Institute of Political Sciences of Paris. Pr. Verpeaux is President of the French Association of Local Government Law (Vice-President from 1995-2001), and former General Secretary of the French Association of Constitutional Law (1993 – 2006). Pr. Verpeaux has held the positions of President or member in various juries of concourses assessing candidates to law schools or high civil servants positions: French administrative courts, Ecole Nationale d’Administration, Conseiller and Attaché d’administration scolaire et universitaire, concours d’agrégation de droit public, etc.

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Pr. Verpeaux has been member of the jury of the Regional Legal Competition – 2014.

ELIN VILIPPUS

Estonia

Ms. Elin Vilippus hold two Master degrees in animal breeding from University of Agriculture of Estonia and in law from Tartu University (Estonia). She has practiced law as private enforcement officer for over 15 years. She currently manages the largest enforcement officer’s firm in Estonia which employs 28 people. Handling international claims has provided her with an extensive experience in international legal cooperation. For two years she has led the Estonian professional organization of enforcement agents. Currently, she is a member of Development Committee and Examination Committee of Chamber of Enforcement Officers and Trustees in Bankruptcy of Estonia. Since 2015, Ms. Vilippus has worked in the Experts Group of the International Union of Enforcement Agents (UIHJ) which federates the national professional organisation of enforcement agents of more than 90 countries. Ms Villipus has provided law-drafting and other expertise, in the course of missions to Georgia and Albania.

Additional professional duties include the activities of trustee in bankruptcy (since 2013) and lecturer at University of Tartu (since 2012).

In the framework of the Rule of Law Platform, Ms. Vilippus contributed as speaker to a seminar on “Professional ethics and procedural fairness - International standards and national developments in the field of enforcement”, on 12 April 2016, in Almaty (Kazakhstan).